Stick with us, says Oxford skipper

First published
in Sport
by David Pritchard, Chief Sports Reporter covering Oxford United. Follow us on twitter: @oxfordmailoufc. Call me on 01865 425458

Jake Wright believes Oxford United’s attractive style will mean supporters continue to back the team while they attempt to recover from a slow start to the season.

The U’s skipper is set to make his 200th start for the club tomorrow, when Portsmouth visit the Kassam Stadium.

Despite the season being only a fortnight old, United go into the game under some pressure after losing their opening three games in Sky Bet League Two.

While results have not gone to plan, the side have shown signs of adopting head coach Michael Appleton’s fluent game plan.

Wright is well aware United fans demand success, but the 28-year-old hopes they will appreciate how the team are seeking to play.

He said: “Obviously they want us to be winning, but surely they want us to be playing good football.

“I think a big criticism from the fans before is we haven’t played good enough football and we weren’t getting the results.

“To be fair, I agree with them in some stages.

“If you get in the play-offs you can point to that, but we didn’t.

“We haven’t played the most attractive football, it’s been effective, but they want us to play good football.

“I don’t think there will be many clubs in this league playing as well as us.

“When the results start coming it will be a really good situation.

“As long as the fans are patient, stick behind us and believe in what we’re doing, I think we’ve got a really good system.”

In the existing squad only Ryan Clarke, with 232, has made more starts for the U’s than Wright, who joined in September 2009.

The centre back suffered a slump in form at the end of last season, when he was playing with an injury.

Now fully fit, Wright’s form has recovered this season and he is delighted to reach the milestone for United.

“I love it here and I never said I wanted to go anywhere, I just had a bad time performance-wise, playing when I shouldn’t have played,” he said.

“I was having a bit of a nightmare, to be honest.

“People looked at that and thought it meant I wanted to leave, it didn’t, it meant I wanted to start playing well.

He added: “I just want to carry on doing well for the team and hopefully the results will come.

“But if you carry on playing like that and creating chances there’s no way you can go many games without winning.”

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Comments (10)

Of course we will! but you guys have got to do something to help yourselves and that definitely includes Newey who was hopelessly out of position for the goal on Tuesday night. When the ball came in to the far post where he should have been he was wandering round in no mans land somewhere between the centre of defence and the right hand edge of the box. Similarly on Saturday when the killer goal came from him getting in the way of the skipper making a solid clearing header.

Of course we will! but you guys have got to do something to help yourselves and that definitely includes Newey who was hopelessly out of position for the goal on Tuesday night. When the ball came in to the far post where he should have been he was wandering round in no mans land somewhere between the centre of defence and the right hand edge of the box. Similarly on Saturday when the killer goal came from him getting in the way of the skipper making a solid clearing header.The Black Prince was off-side

The 'hard-core' of supporters have stuck with the Cub through a lot worse, but the players need to show responsibility, consistency and commitment. On his day JW looks to be capable of playing in a much higher league, 'his day' doesn't come around often enough- or else he would be.
Same goes for most players at this level, up to them, and, the manager to get the best out of them.
Three points tomorrow- PLEASE! And we'll all feel a lot happier!! :O)

The 'hard-core' of supporters have stuck with the Cub through a lot worse, but the players need to show responsibility, consistency and commitment. On his day JW looks to be capable of playing in a much higher league, 'his day' doesn't come around often enough- or else he would be.
Same goes for most players at this level, up to them, and, the manager to get the best out of them.
Three points tomorrow- PLEASE! And we'll all feel a lot happier!! :O)Brenda Jackson

If Oxford United was monitored by OFSTED, the club would have been placed in Special Measures years ago! Maybe its time for Loyal Supporters to stay with Oxford, but change loyalty from United to City FC - and let Oxford's second football club have the benefit of more support, and more income?

If Oxford United was monitored by OFSTED, the club would have been placed in Special Measures years ago! Maybe its time for Loyal Supporters to stay with Oxford, but change loyalty from United to City FC - and let Oxford's second football club have the benefit of more support, and more income?Myron Blatz

The style of football is much better to Watch than last season, but you still need to score goals to win matches and only playing one up front its going to be hard. The goals we have conceded were down to individual mistakes by players not picking up runners, but I'm still optermistic that our bad start to the season will end this Saturday.

The style of football is much better to Watch than last season, but you still need to score goals to win matches and only playing one up front its going to be hard. The goals we have conceded were down to individual mistakes by players not picking up runners, but I'm still optermistic that our bad start to the season will end this Saturday.S Hillier

Brenda Jackson wrote:
The 'hard-core' of supporters have stuck with the Cub through a lot worse, but the players need to show responsibility, consistency and commitment. On his day JW looks to be capable of playing in a much higher league, 'his day' doesn't come around often enough- or else he would be.
Same goes for most players at this level, up to them, and, the manager to get the best out of them.
Three points tomorrow- PLEASE! And we'll all feel a lot happier!! :O)

Much higher level - JW?? !! - on his better days he looks a good fourth tier player - never a much higher level player - is he?

[quote][p][bold]Brenda Jackson[/bold] wrote:
The 'hard-core' of supporters have stuck with the Cub through a lot worse, but the players need to show responsibility, consistency and commitment. On his day JW looks to be capable of playing in a much higher league, 'his day' doesn't come around often enough- or else he would be.
Same goes for most players at this level, up to them, and, the manager to get the best out of them.
Three points tomorrow- PLEASE! And we'll all feel a lot happier!! :O)[/p][/quote]Much higher level - JW?? !! - on his better days he looks a good fourth tier player - never a much higher level player - is he?oldun

Brenda Jackson wrote:
The 'hard-core' of supporters have stuck with the Cub through a lot worse, but the players need to show responsibility, consistency and commitment. On his day JW looks to be capable of playing in a much higher league, 'his day' doesn't come around often enough- or else he would be.
Same goes for most players at this level, up to them, and, the manager to get the best out of them.
Three points tomorrow- PLEASE! And we'll all feel a lot happier!! :O)

Much higher level - JW?? !! - on his better days he looks a good fourth tier player - never a much higher level player - is he?

All about opinion, yours is obviously different to mine, and others will have theirs!!
I can't see the point of arguing who is right or wrong, can you?

[quote][p][bold]oldun[/bold] wrote:
[quote][p][bold]Brenda Jackson[/bold] wrote:
The 'hard-core' of supporters have stuck with the Cub through a lot worse, but the players need to show responsibility, consistency and commitment. On his day JW looks to be capable of playing in a much higher league, 'his day' doesn't come around often enough- or else he would be.
Same goes for most players at this level, up to them, and, the manager to get the best out of them.
Three points tomorrow- PLEASE! And we'll all feel a lot happier!! :O)[/p][/quote]Much higher level - JW?? !! - on his better days he looks a good fourth tier player - never a much higher level player - is he?[/p][/quote]All about opinion, yours is obviously different to mine, and others will have theirs!!
I can't see the point of arguing who is right or wrong, can you?Brenda Jackson

Brenda Jackson wrote:
The 'hard-core' of supporters have stuck with the Cub through a lot worse, but the players need to show responsibility, consistency and commitment. On his day JW looks to be capable of playing in a much higher league, 'his day' doesn't come around often enough- or else he would be.
Same goes for most players at this level, up to them, and, the manager to get the best out of them.
Three points tomorrow- PLEASE! And we'll all feel a lot happier!! :O)

Much higher level - JW?? !! - on his better days he looks a good fourth tier player - never a much higher level player - is he?

All about opinion, yours is obviously different to mine, and others will have theirs!!
I can't see the point of arguing who is right or wrong, can you?

Why not pass comment on what another has said?. "Much higher level" - much higher than fourth tier - just an opinion of mine but I could name twenty centre backs who played for United and who were much better than Jake - just an opinion

[quote][p][bold]Brenda Jackson[/bold] wrote:
[quote][p][bold]oldun[/bold] wrote:
[quote][p][bold]Brenda Jackson[/bold] wrote:
The 'hard-core' of supporters have stuck with the Cub through a lot worse, but the players need to show responsibility, consistency and commitment. On his day JW looks to be capable of playing in a much higher league, 'his day' doesn't come around often enough- or else he would be.
Same goes for most players at this level, up to them, and, the manager to get the best out of them.
Three points tomorrow- PLEASE! And we'll all feel a lot happier!! :O)[/p][/quote]Much higher level - JW?? !! - on his better days he looks a good fourth tier player - never a much higher level player - is he?[/p][/quote]All about opinion, yours is obviously different to mine, and others will have theirs!!
I can't see the point of arguing who is right or wrong, can you?[/p][/quote]Why not pass comment on what another has said?. "Much higher level" - much higher than fourth tier - just an opinion of mine but I could name twenty centre backs who played for United and who were much better than Jake - just an opinionoldun

Appleton thought by some could become a very good manager, came to us at pompey, stuck it out for a short while before finally jumping ship to join Blackburn. Seems he has jumped ship many times since then.....and we ask ourselves why so many clubs since joining pompey? We notice his tactics are a bit dubious at times. Tends to play players out of position more often than not... it cost us in the end.
Should be a decent crowd and an entertaining game. Go for a 1-3.

Appleton thought by some could become a very good manager, came to us at pompey, stuck it out for a short while before finally jumping ship to join Blackburn. Seems he has jumped ship many times since then.....and we ask ourselves why so many clubs since joining pompey? We notice his tactics are a bit dubious at times. Tends to play players out of position more often than not... it cost us in the end.
Should be a decent crowd and an entertaining game. Go for a 1-3.cebu blue